-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- My grandfather Jacques Cousteau and my father Philippe dedicated their lives to revealing the ocean 's wonders and helping us understand our connection to this vast expanse of water . Their work inspired generations and filled people with awe .

Times have changed and so have circumstances and perceptions about the ocean . In recent years , the focus has been on the very serious challenges the ocean faces and the impact these challenges are already having on our daily lives .

The effects of climate change , pollution and overfishing should be making headlines because the ocean and all of us -- and I literally mean all humankind -- who depend on its resources are facing the very real prospect of the catastrophic collapse of ocean ecosystems if we continue on our current course .

Watch : Going Green : Oceans on Friday March 29 at 15:30 GMT

Despite the challenges our ocean faces , I believe it 's time to recapture the sense of wonder and inspiration my grandfather and father felt when they gazed on its surface . In fact , the ocean can and should be a source of hope and solutions for a brighter future .

Before you accuse of me of eschewing cold hard reality for a world view through rose-colored glasses , hear me out . What I 'm proposing is that we step back and look at the potential a healthy ocean has to provide us with a prosperous and sustainable future .

Just take a moment to think about what the ocean does for us on a daily basis : it produces half of the world 's oxygen ; it provides more than one billion people with their primary source of protein ; its natural eco-systems like coral reefs , mangroves and wetlands provide protection against coastal erosion and natural disasters such as tsunamis ; it regulates our climate ; and a healthy ocean fuels sustainable businesses and a strong economy in industries such as seafood , tourism , pharmaceuticals and shipping .

Read/Watch : ` The most imaginative person I 've ever met '

That 's really only the beginning . Check out Ocean Conservancy 's `` Why the Ocean Matters '' feature if you want to be truly amazed . My point is the answers to many of our greatest environmental and social challenges literally surrounds us .

For the ocean to continue to do what 's it 's done for millions of years and serve the needs of a rapidly expanding human population , it needs to be healthy . Biodiversity , coral reefs , wetlands and trash-free seas are n't just terms on a page they are environmental imperatives that dictate the future of the planet .

We have the know-how and resources to conserve and restore the aquatic and marine systems that keep the ocean and us healthy . As my grandfather once said , `` The technology that we use to abuse the planet is the same technology that can help us to heal it . ''

Big technology like renewable energy , carbon sequestration and advances in aquaculture certainly have a major role in restoring the ocean and the planet to a healthy balance , but in many cases it 's a matter of giving nature the space and time to do what it needs to do with a helping hand from all of us .

Regulations that help replenish and protect fish stocks , restoration and conservation projects to protect and nurture natural barriers like reefs and wetlands , and reforestation efforts are all things that can have a huge impact on ocean health with no rocket science necessary .

Take fisheries for example , with two billion people joining us on this planet over the next 40 years , there will be a huge need for more sources of protein . If these needed protein sources were to come primarily from livestock there is the very real potential for catastrophic pollution of water and land , not to mention the exponential increase in carbon emissions .

But , by some estimates , simply managing fisheries better could feed up to one billion of those people and remember , seafood is 7-10 times more efficient as a source of protein than land-based meat sources ... if managed properly .

If you are thinking this all sounds like the future of the ocean is in the hands of policymakers and big industry , please think again . Every hour of every day each of us have the opportunity to make choices with impact , from what we eat and the things we buy to the examples we set for our children and friends .

The good news is technology and future-focused groups are providing us with some great tools and resources to get inspired and make smart decisions . For example : the Monterey Bay Aquarium 's Seafood Watch pocket guide and Ocean Conservancy 's Rippl app or EarthEcho 's Water Planet Challenge .

We can make sure the ocean continues to provide inspiration , wonder and solutions for generations , however , it all comes down to personal and collective will . Ask yourself this question : When you look upon the ocean 10 years from now , do you want to see a sad reminder of what could have been ; or do you want to be filled with awe and inspired by a sense of endless possibilities ?

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Philippe Cousteau

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It 's time to recapture our sense of wonder about the oceans , says Philippe Cousteau

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Environmental advocate asks people to think hard about all the services it provides humankind

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Having a healthy ocean is an `` environmental imperative '' that will `` dictate future of planet ''

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Measures to protect fish stocks and eco-systems can have huge impact on ocean health